Classic Blondies (One Bowl, No Mixer, 35 Minutes)

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These classic blondies are chewy in the middle, crisp at the edges, and packed with brown sugar, dark chocolate chips, and toasted pecans. One bowl, one spatula, no mixer, and 35 minutes from start to finish. I make these in an 8x8 pan and cut them into 16 squares.

What Are Blondies?

A blondie is a bar cookie that shares a brownie's shape and texture but skips the chocolate in the batter entirely. Instead of cocoa powder or melted chocolate, the flavor comes from brown sugar and butter, which bake into something warm and caramel-like. That's why American cookbooks called them butterscotch brownies for decades before the name "blondie" caught on. Like most beloved classics, every baker has their own version. Some add white chocolate, some brown the butter, and some go heavy on the nuts.

My version keeps the classic brown sugar base and adds toasted pecans and dark chocolate. I use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet, which keeps the bars from tipping into too sweet. I also toast the pecans first, so they stay crisp and taste nutty instead of going soft in the batter. If you're looking for traditional brownies, you'll love these 2 variations: my raspberry brownies and mint chocolate brownies. 

Why You'll Love These Blondies

• One bowl, one whisk, one spatula
• 10 minutes of prep and 25 minutes in the oven
• Makes 16 squares in an 8x8-inch pan
• Deep butterscotch and caramel flavor from light brown sugar
• Chewy edges with a soft, fudgy middle
• Dark chocolate chips and toasted pecans in every bite
• No mixer required

Ingredients and Substitutions

The photo below shows everything you'll need to make a classic blondie recipe. You'll find the full printable recipe card with exact measurements at the bottom of this post, but first, let me walk you through a few notes on the ingredients.

• Unsalted butter: Melt it and let it cool for about 10 minutes before mixing. Melted butter (not softened) is what makes blondies chewy instead of cakey. Only have salted butter? Use it and cut the added salt down to ¼ teaspoon.
• Light brown sugar: Pack it firmly into the measuring cup. All of the butterscotch flavor comes from the molasses in brown sugar, so don't substitute white sugar here. Dark brown sugar works too and gives you a richer, more caramel-forward bar.
• Egg and egg yolk: Room temperature. The extra yolk is what makes the blondie center fudgy rather than dry, so don't skip it! Forgot to set your eggs out? Put them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
• Vanilla extract: Use pure extract if you have it.
• All-purpose flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour and gives you dry, crumbly blondie bars.
• Baking powder: Only ½ teaspoon. You want a little lift, not a cake. Resist the urge to add more!
• Salt sharpens the caramel notes and keeps the blondies from tasting flat. Fine table salt or kosher salt both work.
• Dark chocolate chips: I use dark chocolate because these bars are already sweet, and the slight bitterness balances them out. Not a dark chocolate fan? Semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or butterscotch chips all work. Chopped chocolate from a bar melts into prettier puddles.
• Toasted pecans: Toast them in a dry skillet for 5 minutes, or in the oven at 350°F for 7 to 8 minutes, until they smell nutty. Raw pecans go soft in the batter; toasted ones stay crisp. Allergic? Don't like nuts? Just leave them out or swap in walnuts, macadamias, or hazelnuts.
• Flaky sea salt is optional and meant only as a topping. Sprinkle it on after baking, never before, so it stays crunchy.

What's the difference between blondies and brownies? 

Brownies get their flavor and color from cocoa powder or melted chocolate. Blondies get theirs from brown sugar, butter, and vanilla, which is why people describe the flavor as butterscotch or caramel. The mixing method and texture are nearly identical, which is why blondies are sometimes called blondie brownies.

My Tips for the Chewiest Blondies

• Don't overmix the batter. Once you add the flour, stir with a spatula or wooden spoon and stop as soon as the streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, and gluten makes blondies tough.
• Pull them out looking underbaked. The edges should be set and golden while the center still looks soft and a little glossy. They keep cooking in the hot pan. If a toothpick comes out perfectly clean, they've gone too far, and you'll end up with a dry, cakey bar.
• Cool completely before slicing. Let them cool for at least an hour, then lift the whole slab out by the parchment overhang and cut it on a board. If you slice blondies while they are still warm, they'll tear and smear instead of cutting cleanly.
• Use the parchment sling. Leaving paper hanging over two sides means you never have to dig a first square out of the corner of the pan.
• Wipe your knife between cuts. Run a large knife under hot water, dry it, and press straight down instead of sawing. You'll get clean, sharp edges every time.

Common Questions

1. Can I double this recipe for a 9x13-inch pan? Yes. Double every ingredient and bake in a 9x13-inch pan for about 28 to 33 minutes. Start checking at 26 minutes. The bars will be roughly the same thickness as the 8x8 version.
2. Can I use a 9x9-inch pan instead? You can. The batter spreads thinner, so start checking at 18 minutes. The bars will be slightly less chewy in the center, though still very good. This is the pan I use for my blackberry cheesecake bars if you're wondering what else it's good for.
3. Why are my blondies cakey instead of chewy? Three usual culprits. You creamed softened butter instead of using melted butter. You measured too much flour by scooping from the bag. Or you overmixed after adding the flour. All three add air or structure where you don't want it.
4. Can I leave out the nuts? Absolutely. Replace the ½ cup of pecans with an extra ½ cup of chocolate chips, or just leave them out entirely. The bake time doesn't change.
5. Can I make these ahead? Yes, and I think they're better on day two. The brown sugar pulls in moisture overnight, so the texture gets chewier and the butterscotch flavor deepens.
6. How do I get clean, neat squares? Cool them completely, lift the whole slab out using the parchment overhang, and cut with a long sharp knife on a cutting board. Wipe the blade clean between cuts. Cold blondies straight from the fridge slice the neatest of all.
7. Can I make these gluten-free? A cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend works well here. The texture stays chewy since there's no yeast or structure to replace.

How to Make Classic Blondies (Step-By-Step Photos)

This is a recipe overview. Find the complete instructions + ingredient amounts in the recipe card above (scroll up).

• Prep the pan: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Butter and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and light brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
• Add eggs: Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until fully combined.

• Dry ingredients: Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until combined - don't overmix.
• Fold in mix-ins: Gently fold in half the chocolate chips and half the toasted pecans; reserve the rest for the top.

• Fill the pan: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spread evenly, and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and pecans over the top.
• Bake: 20-25 min, until the edges are set and golden and the center still looks slightly underbaked.
• Cool completely, then slice. Finish with flaky sea salt and serve with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel.

More Bar Desserts

• Raspberry Brownies
• Mint Chocolate Brownies
• S'mores Brownies
• Lemon Brownies
• Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
• Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
• Blackberry Cheesecake Bars